Events

Immigrant Access to Bar Admission: Then and Now

Friday, September 26

Kalmanovitz Appellate Courtroom, King Hall room 10019:00 AM – 12:00 PMIn 1890, New York lawyer Hong Yen Chang was denied the opportunity to practice law in California because of state laws that barred Chinese immigrants from most careers and opportunities. In 2014, the California Supreme Court granted Sergio Garcia, an undocumented Latino law graduate, the right to seek a license to practice law. The parallels between the immigrant experience at the turn of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries provide lessons for us as we explore the barriers to access to justice for low-income communities, minorities, women and immigrants.

This conference brings together scholars, practitioners, and those personally affected by laws that limit professional licenses based on race, national origin, gender or immigrant status.

Panel 1: Racial Regulation of the Bar: The Historical Exclusion of Asian American LawyersGabriel "Jack" Chin, Professor of Law, UC Davis School of LawChen Li, Foundation Fellow, Washington University; Global Associate, National University of Singapore

Panel 2: Racial Regulation of the Bar: Contemporary RestrictionsModerator: Kevin R. Johnson, Dean, UC Davis School of LawCruz Reynoso, Bird and Boochever Chair for the Study and Teaching of Freedom and Equality Emeritus, UC Davis School of LawDon K. Tamaki, Partner, Minami Tamaki LLP, Counsel for State Bar of California in In re Sergio GarciaFredericka McGee, General Counsel and Deputy Chief of Staff, California State Assembly Speaker Tony Atkins